Grouse Dog Range?

[Grousehunter74]

When hunting grouse, how far does your dog range out - 20 yrds, 50 yrds, 2 miles?

What is your dog's range and what is your preference for this and why?

Thanks

[JKP]

Excuse me for saying so....but not again!!! I think the right range is what you're comfortable with, what works for you and don't let anyone tell you different. What's the right range in the CRP? in the cattails? in the piney woods? or the southern scrub? I prefer to put more thought into how hard the dog is working to find game.

BTW...want to post this here at the beginning of the discussion...anyone has a 150yd CRP dog that hunts hard, holds game and retrieves to hand but they just can't stand a short running dog like that (pitiful!!!), there is a place for that bootlicker with me...give me a call.

[Birddogz]

If you are hunting the N. Midwest in 5-7 year old aspen stands then 100 yards is far enough. GPS collars are worth their weight in gold.

[ezzy333]

Grouse hunter,

Your topics are very good but they have been discussed many times on here and are still available if you read through he archives. Some great reading for those really interested.

Ezzy

[pointshootretrieve]

I will tell you IMO a dog inside of 25 yards isn't going to be very productive as far as pointing is concerned, the commotion from the two of you in such close proximity will eradicate your chances of getting a point on one with even the slightest bit of experience. I let my Pointer roll especially when we aren't getting any bird contact, she is a smart one though and corrects her range when she gets into an area with scent. My dogs typically work in the 80 an under range in the cover we hunt, however if you break out into an open area they stretch out and run down a hedgerow etc. And I like a dog with some zip not one who lalli gags. I have no use for a pointing dog that is within gun range, IMO it would be far more productive to hunt over a flusher.

[Birddogz]

I will tell you IMO a dog inside of 25 yards isn't going to be very productive as far as pointing is concerned, the commotion from the two of you in such close proximity will eradicate your chances of getting a point on one with even the slightest bit of experience. I let my Pointer roll especially when we aren't getting any bird contact, she is a smart one though and corrects her range when she gets into an area with scent. My dogs typically work in the 80 an under range in the cover we hunt, however if you break out into an open area they stretch out and run down a hedgerow etc. And I like a dog with some zip not one who lalli gags. I have no use for a pointing dog that is within gun range, IMO it would be far more productive to hunt over a flusher.

I agree with your post. Especially since 15 yards in grouse cover many times is out of range. Thick stuff, especially when the leaves are up. 100 yards is a nice limit, and feels much further in grouse cover.

[Mountaineer]

Depends upon the cover and the bird population...may depend upon how long he was in the kennel.

My preference is for whatever works with as few downsides as possible.

[Ryman Gun Dog]

GH74,
Still an interesting subject even if covered before.
IMO a Grouse dogs should cover enough ground to suit the habitat and find birds, working with his companion master. Range in itself is only important if
the Grouse population is way down and the dog must cover a lot of ground to make bird contact. The Grouse dog must have great instinct and scenting ability
to repeatedly handle spooky Grouse, he should not over run birds just because he wants to cover ground, great Grouse dogs find and point (Set) Grouse for their masters gunning, at what ever distance it takes to complete the job. Now a dog who limits itself to 25 or 30 yards better be in an area where there are very high Grouse numbers
or the dog is not going to find much, however a dog who hunts only for himself and covers great distance is also usless in a state like Pa. I like a Grouse dog who is biddable enough to be a companion and moves big enough to find Grouse in our Pa woods. In our home Grouse dog kennel we have Gordons who run big, as much as a 4000 yard circle, Rymans who run medium, a circle of about 1,500 yards, and a young Weimar who runs a max of only 400 yards, and a 14 year old SM who hunts for about 2 1/2 hrs max, and still works a 350 yard circle. All these dogs find and point Grouse, and they all work at different ranges, for the masters gunning.
RGD/Dave

Daisy our Ryman female with Ken in the Pa Forest


Penny our Big moving Gordon, Daisy and RGD


Gretchen our Weimar


Sampson our old Small Munsterlander with a couple of his Grouse

[nikegundog]

If you are hunting the N. Midwest in 5-7 year old aspen stands then 100 yards is far enough. GPS collars are worth their weight in gold.

To me something just seems wrong when to have to use a satellite in space to locate your dog, if that's the case I believe its to far. I know some people are waiting for the units to get smaller, so they can just attach them to the grouse and cut out the middle man. To each his own. Hey, its just a joke, I've hunted in the thick stuff to.

[JKP]

as much as a 4000 yard circle

Thats 1300 yds in diameter or 2/3 mile....in the grouse cover I hunt, a dog that's 500+ yds away would be out of the cover...we just don't have grouse cover that extensive. Most of my covers are from 2 to 20 acres at best and some of it so thick you can't get through it or those little steep overgrown hillside stream beds, thorn apples and such ....edges are what you hunt...can't think of one cover I hunt where there is a 500 yd edge...I'm in the wrong part of the country!!!

[dan v]

With a broke dog to me if I can faintly hear a dog beeper collar the dogs in range. Yardage is just a guessamation unless you're using a garmin.

No further than the range of a bell or beeper....or whatever the range you want.

[BoJack]

I think more important then Range is the question does the dog have the Ability to Find and Handle grouse?

[Ryman Gun Dog]

JKP,
We have one edge alone that runs over 15 miles in length, sorry you have so little Grouse cover, in your area. I invite you to come visit our mountain cabin here in Potter/Tioga County, Pa next season, bring your dogs & guns, you will need a Pa hunting license also. If you are a Vet or active Military I will even spring for your food.
We will show you some edges for your dogs to hunt that you will just find incredible. No GPS or tracking collars to identify coverts permitted as we hunt.
RGD/Dave

Pa mountain edges that seem to go on for ever, and you are correct the Grouse love them.



Notice the Grouse the men spooked flying far out in the upper right edge, banking off into the Grouse woods.

[smokinsam]

With a broke dog to me if I can faintly hear a dog beeper collar the dogs in range. Yardage is just a guessamation unless you're using a garmin.

No further than the range of a bell or beeper....or whatever the range you want.

I agree.simple really.

[Birddogz]

JKP,
We have one edge alone that runs over 15 miles in length, sorry you have so little Grouse cover, in your area. I invite you to come visit our mountain cabin here in Potter/Tioga County, Pa next season, bring your dogs & guns, you will need a Pa hunting license also. If you are a Vet or active Military I will even spring for your food.
We will show you some edges for your dogs to hunt that you will just find incredible. No GPS or tracking collars to identify coverts permitted as we hunt.
RGD/Dave

Pa mountain edges that seem to go on for ever, and you are correct the Grouse love them.



Notice the Grouse the men spooked flying far out in the upper right edge, banking off into the Grouse woods.

Why no GPS? My Garmin is more valuable than my E-collars. Nothing like the stealth of them. No beepers, just a little beep that points me in the direction that the dog is pointing.

[Mountaineer]

The Astro has done more to shrink coverts than bulldozers.

[Mountaineer]

...If a grouse dog can't find and handle ruffed grouse, dogs not worth feeding.

Hardly....we all have bad days that stretch beyond.

Good thing that grouse dogs do not rate us as hunters on message boards.

[Mountaineer]

...I'm glad somebody likes grouse dogs that can not handle ruffed grouse. Nothing was mentioned about a dog that has a bad day here and there.

Well, we all have our burdens ....I'm just thinking that if it takes a few years-ish to actually and truely develop a "grouse" dog or it takes that long before the moniker can be justly applied then I doubt that I would cease to feed said pup that I had known for many, many moons.
But, I expect that some would easily jettison the discovered non-performer that may have shared a life, shared the ups and downs that builds something of value well short of feathers drift.
That happy wave good-bye, to me, would be a tough burden to carry.
I expect I would continue to feed and love the critter regardless, or irregardless as the say in Gallia County, of perfection or production...however, it does take all kinds.

[northern cajun]

How ever far it takes!

The good really good dogs will adjust their range depending on grouse densities, cover, conditions, etc.

[Grange]

With a broke dog to me if I can faintly hear a dog beeper collar the dogs in range. Yardage is just a guessamation unless you're using a garmin.

I use a Garmin and I find that I prefer my setter to be anywhere from 80-150 yards. I find that I can hear my setter's bell out to about 250-275 yards. My setter will range further, but usually only on a cast. I've worked productive points well in excess of 200 yards according to my Garmin.

[Birddogz]

You must have ears like a deer. To hear a dog bell at more than 100 yards in thick cover is a challenge for most people. Just sayin'.

[Dave Quindt]

To hear a dog bell at more than 100 yards in thick cover is a challenge for most people. Just sayin'.

When you buy a quality coverdog bell and not some dime-store noisemaker it's pretty easy to hear a bell out to 300 yards, and often well beyond. And on a still evening with no breeze, you can often clearly hear some of these bells out past 3/4 of a mile through the grouse woods; don't ask me how I know.

Just sayin'

[Dave Quindt]

I used most bells made over the years, 3/4 of a mile, man I'd like to know where I can buy one.

http://www.lcsupply.com/Northwoods-Long ... info/NLRB/

This bell can be a bit too much in some situations; I'm actually trying to find one that's a bit less powerful but more powerful than the common swiss-style bells.

Lion Country has a good selection of bells, and there are other handmade bells used by coverdog trialers that are even better.

[Birddogz]

The Astro has done more to shrink coverts than bulldozers.

I do not understand this post.

[Mountaineer]

The Astro has done more to shrink coverts than bulldozers.

I do not understand this post.

People who used to think their dogs ranged waaaaay out have discovered that Fido was not out as far as they thought when an Astro was hung...myself included, at times.
Mostly in the woods.
Therefore the coverts were made smaller....not physically, of course.
Just a comment nod to the Astro and honesty.
Exaggeration can be rampant...with ruffed grouse dog owners, IMHO.

It is interesting how far some bells can be heard...with my poor hearing I would never have believed that I could hear a bell 400 yards away in a U.P. popple flat...yet I did on one quiet morning.
The Astro has been an eye-opener as well as restful to the mind.

[nikegundog]

An Astro is a gps collar.

[Grousehunter74]

The big problem I have in the terrain I hunt is that it is not flat or even rolling hills. Mostly it is steep inclines and valleys with a logging roads running through. I generally walk the logging roads and direct the dog forward and from side to side with a combo of whistle and hand signals. Many of the clear cuts along side are super thick with overgrown brush/thorns and darn nearly impossible to wade through. On the more mature growth - not so bad walking through, but sometimes the steepness is a challenge. All of this for an older guy to walk.

I read about "close" working dogs. I'd like to keep the dog's range limited to the terrain I can muddle through. That may be 50ish yards, 100 max.

I should think some interaction between the dog and hunter is a must, ranging out, checking in, moving on to the next spot. I don't see myself turning the dog loose to find grouse some 200 yards or further in my area, but from what I have been reading, it sounds like a lot of folks DO simply turn their dog loose and ranging out is not an issue - hear the beeper or locate with the GPS and find the dog on point a great distance away - which is fine, just not an option for these old legs.

I'm beginning to think that the idea of hunting with a dog that you can keep your eyes on, just about all the time, may not be possible or realistic.

[Birddogz]

The Astro has done more to shrink coverts than bulldozers.

I do not understand this post.

People who used to think their dogs ranged waaaaay out have discovered that Fido was not out as far as they thought when an Astro was hung...myself included, at times.
Mostly in the woods.
Therefore the coverts were made smaller....not physically, of course.
Just a comment nod to the Astro and honesty.
Exaggeration can be rampant...with ruffed grouse dog owners, IMHO.

It is interesting how far some bells can be heard...with my poor hearing I would never have believed that I could hear a bell 400 yards away in a U.P. popple flat...yet I did on one quiet morning.
The Astro has been an eye-opener as well as restful to the mind.

I see what you mean, and agree. I have owned an Astro for 2 years, and love it. Makes me so much more relaxed when I hunt. I love knowing exactly how far my dogs are away from me, and being stealthy. No more beepers or bells.